Compatibility of Radiofrequency Surgical Sponge Detection Technology with Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices and Temporary Pacemakers.

Background: Radiofrequency (RF) technology has improved detection of retained surgical sponges with a reported 100% sensitivity and specificity. However, the potential for interactions of the RF signals emitted by the detection system with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) or temporary pacemakers may limit its use in those patients with these devices. This study investigated whether RF detection technology causes interference or clinically significant changes in the programmed settings of implanted pacemakers and defibrillators or temporary epicardial pacemakers.

Cardiac Device Implant Skin Closure with a Novel Adjustable, Coaptive Tape-Based Device.

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare a unique zip-type adjustable coaptive tape-based skin closure device to traditional subcuticular sutures in three domains: time, cosmesis, and wound closure-related outcomes in cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) procedures.

Methods: A total of 40 patients were enrolled in a prospective randomized controlled trial to assess time to wound closure, as well as cosmesis and wound closure-related outcomes.

Results: The adjustable coaptive tape-based skin closure device had shorter overall closure time (78 ± 6.

Organized Sources Are Spatially Conserved in Recurrent Compared to Pre-Ablation Atrial Fibrillation: Further Evidence for Non-Random Electrical Substrates.

Introduction: Recurrent atrial fibrillation (AF) after ablation is associated with reconnection of initially isolated pulmonary vein (PV) trigger sites. Substrates are often targeted in addition to PVI, but it is unclear how substrates progress over time. We studied if substrates in recurrent AF are conserved or have developed de novo from pre-ablation AF.

Modifying Ventricular Fibrillation by Targeted Rotor Substrate Ablation: Proof-of-Concept from Experimental Studies to Clinical VF.

Introduction: Recent work has suggested a role for organized sources in sustaining ventricular fibrillation (VF). We assessed whether ablation of rotor substrate could modulate VF inducibility in canines, and used this proof-of-concept as a foundation to suppress antiarrhythmic drug-refractory clinical VF in a patient with structural heart disease.

Methods And Results: In 9 dogs, we introduced 64-electrode basket catheters into one or both ventricles, used rapid pacing at a recorded induction threshold to initiate VF, and then defibrillated after 18±8 seconds.

Cardiac resynchronisation therapy in patients with chronic heart failure.

Cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) is common treatment for congestive heart failure (HF) with decreased LV function and wide QRS complex. Its foundations are set in the understanding of the pathophysiology of ventricular dyssynchrony. Over the last several decades, CRT has evolved through changes in implantation techniques, device and lead design, imaging modalities and our growing clinical experience.

Mechanisms Underlying AF: Triggers, Rotors, Other?

There is ongoing debate regarding the precise mechanisms underlying atrial fibrillation (AF). An improved understanding of these mechanisms is urgently needed to improve interventional strategies to suppress and eliminate AF, since the success of current strategies is suboptimal. At present, guidelines for AF ablation focus on pulmonary vein (PV) isolation for the prevention of arrhythmia.

Human atrial fibrillation initiates via organized rather than disorganized mechanisms.

Background: It is unknown how atrial fibrillation (AF) is actually initiated by triggers. Based on consistencies in atrial structure and function in individual patients between episodes of AF, we hypothesized that human AF initiates when triggers interact with deterministic properties of the atria and may engage organized mechanisms.

Methods And Results: In 31 patients with AF, we mapped AF initiation after spontaneous triggers or programmed stimulation.

Rotors and focal sources for human atrial fibrillation: mechanistic paradigm with direct clinical relevance.

Outcomes for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) have changed little despite many advances in technology. In large part, this reflects fundamental uncertainty about the mechanisms for AF in humans, which must reconcile diverse observations. Despite the complexity of AF, many electrophysiologists have witnessed modulation of 'chaotic' AF after the first few ablation lesions, or before lines are complete or trigger sites are isolated, and numerous analyses demonstrate temporospatial stability in AF.

Rotors as drivers of atrial fibrillation and targets for ablation.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia targeted by catheter ablation. Despite significant advances in our understanding of AF, ablation outcomes remain suboptimal, and this is due in large part to an incomplete understanding of the underlying sustaining mechanisms of AF. Recent developments of patient-tailored and physiology-based computational mapping systems have identified localized electrical spiral waves, or rotors, and focal sources as mechanisms that may represent novel targets for therapy.

Mapping and ablating stable sources for atrial fibrillation: summary of the literature on Focal Impulse and Rotor Modulation (FIRM).

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia and the most common indication for catheter ablation. However, despite substantial technical advances in mapping and energy delivery, ablation outcomes remain suboptimal. A major limitation to AF ablation is that the areas targeted for ablation are rarely of proven mechanistic importance, in sharp contrast to other arrhythmias in which ablation targets demonstrated mechanisms in each patient.

Ablation of rotor and focal sources reduces late recurrence of atrial fibrillation compared with trigger ablation alone: extended follow-up of the CONFIRM trial (Conventional Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation With or Without Focal Impulse and Rotor Modulation).

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine if ablation that targets patient-specific atrial fibrillation (AF)-sustaining substrates (rotors or focal sources) is more durable than trigger ablation alone at preventing late AF recurrence.

Background: Late recurrence substantially limits the efficacy of pulmonary vein isolation for AF and is associated with pulmonary vein reconnection and the emergence of new triggers.

Methods: Three-year follow-up was performed of the CONFIRM (Conventional Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation With or Without Focal Impulse and Rotor Modulation) trial, in which 92 consecutive patients with AF (70.

Frequency analysis of atrial action potential alternans: a sensitive clinical index of individual propensity to atrial fibrillation.

Background: Few clinical indices identify the propensity of patients to atrial fibrillation (AF) when not in AF. Repolarization alternans has been shown to indicate AF vulnerability, but is limited in its sensitivity to detect changes in action potential (AP) duration (APD), which may be subtle. We hypothesized that spectral analysis would be a more sensitive and robust marker of AP alternans and thus a better clinical index of individual propensity to AF than APD alternans.

Targeted ablation at stable atrial fibrillation sources improves success over conventional ablation in high-risk patients: a substudy of the CONFIRM Trial.

Background: Pulmonary vein (PV) isolation has disappointing results in patients with obesity, heart failure, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and enlarged left atria (LA), for unclear reasons. We hypothesized that these comorbidities may cause higher numbers or non-PV locations of atrial fibrillation (AF) sources, where targeted source ablation (focal impulse and rotor modulation [FIRM]) should improve the single-procedure success of ablation.

Methods: The Conventional Ablation of AF With or Without Focal Impulse and Rotor Modulation (CONFIRM) trial prospectively enrolled 92 patients at 107 AF ablation procedures, in whom computational mapping identified AF rotors or focal sources.

Atrial conduction slows immediately before the onset of human atrial fibrillation: a bi-atrial contact mapping study of transitions to atrial fibrillation.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine whether onset sites of human atrial fibrillation (AF) exhibit conduction slowing, reduced amplitude, and/or prolonged duration of signals (i.e., fractionation) immediately before AF onset.

Rate-dependent action potential alternans in human heart failure implicates abnormal intracellular calcium handling.

Background: Alternans in action potential voltage (APV-ALT) at heart rates <110 bpm is a novel index to predict ventricular arrhythmias. However, the rate dependency of APV-ALT and its mechanisms in failing versus nonfailing human myocardium are poorly understood. It is hypothesized that APV-ALT in human heart failure (HF) reflects abnormal calcium handling.